Strawberry plant named ‘DrisStrawEight’

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant named ‘DrisStrawEight’. The new cultivar is primarily characterized by its large, firm and medium to strong sweet tasting fruit, medium-vigor and moderate resistance to Powdery mildew, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Fragaria×ananassa.

Variety denomination: ‘DrisStrawEight’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry cultivar designated ‘DrisStrawEight’ and botanically known as Fragaria×ananassa. This new strawberry cultivar was discovered in Camarillo, Calif. in January 2005 and originated from a cross between the female parent ‘Driscoll Ojai’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,575) and the male parent ‘Driscoll Agoura’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,731). The original seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated at a nursery in Shasta County, Calif.

‘DrisStrawEight’ was subsequently asexually propagated in Shasta County, Calif. and underwent further testing at a nursery in Ventura County, Calif. for three years. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations via stolons and tissue culture.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying color photographs show typical specimens of the new cultivar at various stages of development as nearly true as it is possible to make in color reproductions.

FIG. 1 shows overall plant habit including fruit at various stages of development.

FIG. 2 shows the upper and lower surfaces of several of the flowers.

FIG. 3 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.

FIG. 4 shows the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves at the three leaf stage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following description of ‘DrisStrawEight’ is based on observations taken in Ventura County, Calif. from 2006–2008. This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology. Color designations, color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate from the stated values and descriptions depending upon variation in environmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions. ‘DrisStrawEight’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The botanical description of ‘DrisStrawEight’ was taken from 6 month-old plants and the botanical descriptions of ‘Driscoll Agoura’ and ‘Driscoll Ojai’ were taken from 5 month-old plants. Color terminology follows The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, London (R.H.S.) (2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Table 1 shows selected plant characteristics of the new variety compared with plant characteristics of ‘Driscoll Agoura’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,731) and ‘Driscoll Ojai’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,575). Plant characteristics include stolon number, fruit shape, insertion of achenes and fruit production.

TABLE 1 ‘Driscoll Characteristic ‘DrisStrawEight’ Agoura’ ‘Driscoll Ojai’ Stolon number Medium Few Many Fruit shape Conical and almost Almost Almost cylindrical cylindrical cylindrical Insertion of achenes Below surface Level with Above surface surface Fruit production 529 617 504 (g/plant)

Table 2 shows plant characteristics of the new variety compared with plant characteristics of the commercial varieties ‘Driscoll Agoura’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,731) and ‘Driscoll Ojai’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,575). Plant characteristics include plant height, diameter, the number of crowns per plant, habit, the density of individual plants and the vigor.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘DrisStrawEight’ ‘Driscoll Agoura’ ‘Driscoll Ojai’ Plant height (cm) 16.1 13.2 14.0 Plant diameter 28.3 30.3 32.0 (cm) Number of 2 3 2 crowns/plant Habit Globose Flat Flat-globose Density of Medium Medium Medium individual plant Vigor Medium Weak Strong

Table 3 shows leaf characteristics of the new cultivar compared with leaf characteristics of ‘Driscoll Agoura’ and ‘Driscoll Ojai’. Leaf characteristics include terminal leaflet length and width in centimeters, length to width ratio, number of teeth per terminal leaflet, shape of teeth, color of upperside and underside of leaf, leaf shape in cross section, leaf blistering, leaf glossiness, number of leaflets, terminal leaflet margin, terminal leaflet length to width ratio, overall leaf shape and shape of leaf apex and base.

TABLE 3 Leaf Characteristic ‘DrisStrawEight’ ‘Driscoll Agoura’ ‘Driscoll Ojai’ Terminal leaflet 0.64 0.58 0.60 length (cm) Terminal leaflet 0.61 0.56 0.63 width (cm) Terminal leaflet 1.0 1.0 1.0 length/width ratio No. teeth/terminal 21 23 20 leaflet Shape of teeth Rounded Rounded Rounded Color of upper RHS 139A RHS 139A (Dark- RHS 147A surface of leaf (Dark-green) green) (Medium yellow-green) Color of lower RHS 148B RHS 147B RHS 147C surface of leaf (Medium yellow- (Medium yellow- (Medium green) green) yellow-green) Leaf shape in Concave Concave Concave cross section Leaf blistering Weak Medium Medium Leaf glossiness Weak Medium Medium No. leaflets Three only Three only Three only Terminal leaflet Revolute Revolute Revolute to flat margin Terminal leaflet: As long as broad As long as broad As long as length/width broad ratio Terminal leaflet Orbicular Orbicular Orbicular shape Terminal leaflet Obtuse Obtuse Obtuse base shape Terminal leaflet Rounded Rounded Rounded apex shape

Table 4 shows information about the petiole, the petiolule, the bract, and the stipule of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Agoura’ and ‘Driscoll Ojai’. This includes petiole length in centimeters, petiole diameter in centimeters, petiole pubescence, pose of hairs on the petiole, color of the petiole, color of the petiolule, petiolule length in centimeters, petiolule diameter in centimeters, bract frequency per petiole, stipule length in centimeters, stipule width in centimeters, stipule pubescence and stipule anthocyanin coloration.

TABLE 4 Characteristic ‘DrisStrawEight’ ‘Driscoll Agoura’ ‘Driscoll Ojai’ Petiole length 8.5 6.4 6.5 (cm) Petiole diameter 0.281 0.274 0.323 (cm) Petiole Very dense Dense Dense pubescence Petiole pose of Outwards Outwards Between hairs outwards to downwards Petiole color RHS 146C RHS 146D RHS 145A (Medium (Medium (Light yellow- yellow-green) yellow-green) green) Petiolule RHS 146C RHS 145A (Light RHS 145A color (Medium yellow-green) (Light yellow- yellow-green) green) Petiolule length 0.40 0.366 0.434 (cm) Petiolule diameter 0.145 0.131 0.194 (cm) Bract frequency 1 0 1 Stipule length 0.37 0.35 0.36 (cm) Stipule width 1.119 1.128 1.256 (cm) Stipule Absent/very Absent/very Medium pubescence sparse sparse Stipule Weak Weak Weak anthocyanin coloration

Table 5 shows stolon characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Agoura’ and ‘Driscoll Ojai’. These characteristics include the number of stolons, average number of daughter plants, the anthocyanin coloration of the stolons, the thickness of the stolons, and the pubescence of the stolons.

TABLE 5 Characteristic ‘DrisStrawEight’ ‘Driscoll Agoura’ ‘Driscoll Ojai’ Stolon Number Medium Few Many Average number 44 11 72 of daughter plants Stolon Weak Between weak Weak Anthocyanin and medium Stolon Thickness Thin Between medium Medium and thick Stolon Absent or very Dense Absent or very Pubescence sparse sparse

Table 6 shows inflorescence characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Agoura’ and ‘Driscoll Ojai’. These characteristics include inflorescence position relative to foliage, time of flowering, relative flower size, flower diameter in centimeters (measured from petal tip to petal tip), petal shape, relative spacing of petals, petal apex, base and margin, petal length in centimeters, petal width in centimeters, petal length to width ratio, number of petals, petal color, calyx diameter in centimeters (measured on back of flower from sepal tip to sepal tip), diameter of calyx relative to corolla, diameter of inner calyx relative to outer, sepal shape, apex and margin, sepal length in centimeters (measured from sepal tip to point of attachment to receptacle), sepal width in centimeters, number of sepals, receptacle color and anther color.

TABLE 6 Characteristic ‘DrisStrawEight’ ‘Driscoll Agoura’ ‘Driscoll Ojai’ Inflorescence Above Level with Above position relative to foliage Time of flowering Early Early Early (50% of plants at first flower) Flower size Medium Medium Medium Flower diameter 3.247 2.859 3.531 (cm) Petal shape Orbicular Orbicular Orbicular Petal spacing Overlapping Overlapping Overlapping Petal apex shape Rounded Rounded Rounded Petal margin Entire Entire Entire Petal base shape Concave-convex Concave-convex Concave- convex Petal length (cm) 1.741 1.577 1.818 Petal width (cm) 1.719 1.537 1.873 Petal length/width 1.0-As long as 1.0-As long as 1.0-As long as ratio broad broad broad Typical and 6 7 6 observed petal number Petal color RHS 155D RHS 155D RHS 155B (White) (White) (White) Calyx diameter 5.210 4.603 5.466 (cm) Calyx diameter Larger Larger Larger relative to corolla Inner calyx Same size Larger Same size diameter relative to outer Sepal shape Elliptical Elliptical Elliptical Sepal apex shape Convex Convex Retuse Sepal margin Entire Entire Entire Sepal length (cm) 2.174 1.814 2.103 Sepal width (cm) 0.897 0.766 1.031 Typical and 13 14 13 observed sepal number Receptacle color RHS 151B RHS 151D RHS 151B (Medium (Medium yellow- (Medium yellow-green) green) yellow-green) Anther color RHS 16B (Light RHS 14C (Light RHS 17A yellow-orange) yellow-orange) (Medium yellow-orange)

Table 7 shows fruit characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Agoura’ and ‘Driscoll Ojai’. These characteristics include fruiting truss length in centimeters, fruiting truss diameter, number of berries per truss, fruiting truss attitude, fruiting truss color, fruit length in centimeters, fruit truss width in centimeters, fruit length to width ratio, fruit hollow length and width in centimeters, fruit hollow length to width ratio, fruit weight in grams, relative fruit size, predominant fruit shape, difference in shape between primary and secondary fruits, band without achenes, unevenness of fruit surface, fruit skin color, evenness of fruit color, fruit glossiness, insertion of achenes, achene coloration (sunward and shaded sides of berry) and the number of achenes per berry.

TABLE 7 ‘Driscoll Characteristic ‘DrisStrawEight’ Agoura’ ‘Driscoll Ojai’ Fruiting truss length 17.4 14.4 16.7 (cm) Fruiting truss Medium Medium Medium length- general Fruiting truss 0.295 0.297 0.348 diameter (cm) Number of berries 1 3 1 per fruiting truss Fruiting truss Prostrate Prostrate Prostrate attitude Fruiting truss color RHS 146C RHS 145A RHS 145A at base of truss (Medium yellow- (Light (Light yellow- green) yellow- green) green) Fruit length (cm) 4.496 4.916 4.712 Fruit width (cm) 4.029 4.331 4.700 Fruit length/width 1.1-As long as 1.1-As long 1.0-As long as ratio broad as broad broad Fruit hollow length 2.216 2.532 3.032 (cm) Fruit hollow width 1.043 1.542 1.082 (cm) Fruit hollow 2.1 1.6 2.8 length/width ratio Fruit weight (g) 26.5 27.5 28.8 Relative fruit size Large Large Large Predominant fruit Conical and almost Almost Almost shape cylindrical cylindrical cylindrical Difference in shape None or very slight None or very None or very between primary & slight slight secondary fruits Band without Broad Medium Medium achenes Unevenness of fruit Weak Weak Medium surface Fruit skin color RHS 45B RHS 46A RHS 46A (Medium-red) (Dark-red) (Dark-red) Evenness of fruit Even Even Even color Fruit glossiness Medium Medium Weak Insertion of achenes Below surface Level with Above surface surface Achene coloration- RHS 53B RHS 181A RHS 182A sunward side of (Dark-red) (Dark (Dark greyed- berry greyed-red) red) Achene coloration- RHS 146D RHS 153A RHS 152D shaded side of berry (Medium yellow- (Medium (Medium green) yellow- yellow-green) green) Achenes per berry 200.8 331.4 174.5

Table 8 shows fruit characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Agoura’ and ‘Driscoll Ojai’. These characteristics include the harvest maturity, insertion of calyx, pose of calyx segments, size of calyx in relation to fruit, adherence of calyx, firmness of flesh, color of the fruit flesh, evenness of the flesh color, distribution of flesh color, hollow center, sweetness of fruit, acidity of fruit, texture of fruit when tasted, type of bearing, grams of fruit per plant.

TABLE 8 ‘Driscoll Characteristic ‘DrisStrawEight’ Agoura’ ‘Driscoll Ojai’ Harvest maturity Early January to Late January Late January to mid-June to mid-June late May Insertion of calyx Set above fruit Set above Level fruit Pose of calyx Reflexed Reflexed Between segments spreading and reflexed Size of calyx in Larger Between Larger relation to fruit same size and larger Adherence of calyx Between medium Strong Between and strong medium and strong Firmness of flesh Firm Firm Extremely firm Color of the flesh RHS 155A RHS 155C RHS N155D (White) (White) and (White) and and RHS 41B RHS 41A RHS 45C (Medium-red) (Medium- (Medium- red) red) Evenness of flesh Slightly uneven Slightly Slightly uneven color uneven Distribution of flesh Marginal and Marginal and Marginal and color central central central Hollow center Large Large Large Sweetness Between medium Medium Medium and strong Acidity Medium Medium Medium Texture when tasted Medium Medium Medium Type of bearing Partially Partially Partially everbearing everbearing everbearing Grams of fruit/plant 529 617 504

Table 9 shows stress, pest and disease characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Agoura’ and ‘Driscoll Ojai’.

TABLE 9 Pest, Stress or Disease ‘DrisStrawEight’ ‘Driscoll Agoura’ ‘Driscoll Ojai’ High Moderately Moderately temperatures resistant resistant High pH Moderately Moderately Moderately resistant resistant resistant High soil salt Moderately Moderately Moderately levels resistant resistant resistant Water logging Moderately Moderately resistant resistant Tetranychus Moderately Moderately Moderately urticae resistant resistant resistant Lygus hesperus Susceptible Susceptible Susceptible Botrytis fruit rot Moderately Moderately Moderately susceptible susceptible susceptible Powdery mildew Moderately Moderately Moderately resistant resistant susceptible Verticillium wilt Susceptible Susceptible Susceptible Strawberry mottle Moderately Moderately Moderately virus resistant resistant resistant Xanthomonas Moderately Moderately Susceptible fragariae susceptible susceptible

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

When ‘DrisStrawEight’ is compared to the male parent ‘Driscoll Agoura’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,731), ‘DrisStrawEight’ begins fruiting a week to two weeks earlier than ‘Driscoll Agoura’. Additionally, ‘DrisStrawEight’ is less rain tolerant and has smaller fruit size than ‘Driscoll Agoura’.

When ‘DrisStrawEight’ is compared to the female parent ‘Driscoll Ojai’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,575), ‘DrisStrawEight’ begins fruiting two to four weeks earlier than ‘Driscoll Ojai’. Additionally, the fruit of ‘DrisStrawEight’ is a lighter red and more conically shaped than the fruit of ‘Driscoll Ojai’.

When compared to the commercial variety ‘DrisStrawFour’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,240), ‘DrisStrawEight’ has a shorter petiole (8.5 cm) and higher fruit production (529 grams per plant), while ‘DrisStrawFour’ has a longer petiole (11.2 cm) and lower fruit production (443 grams per plant). 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant, as described and shown herein. 